Tarantula Feeder question - orange juice

[hookpits]

Has anyone ever used Orange juice to hydrate water crystals instead of water for feeding dubias? I was thinking that if the Roaches love oranges so much, it might me a good idea. I just don't want to waste any crystals. Have any of you tried it?

 

[Jacobchinarian]

Has anyone ever used Orange juice to hydrate water crystals instead of water for feeding dubias? I was thinking that if the Roaches love oranges so much, it might me a good idea. I just don't want to waste any crystals. Have any of you tried it?

Try it. Some ones got to be the first.

 

[Thegloryfades]

I would worry about them rotting since I don't go through crystals nearly as fast as food

 

[Galapoheros]

Yeah the juice would prob rot/spoil, but the roaches might like it better that way lol.

 

[ZergFront]

Beginnersguides87 has a YouTube video of this experiment.

 

[Venari]

do this with a smaller amount of crystals, a test pinch.

keep it on the colder side of the bin, if possible, to slow the rotting process. See how fast they go through it, and adjust the amounts accordingly. Be prepared for a smell if it's in there for prolonged periods, I guess.

 

[BQC123]

I would worry about them rotting since I don't go through crystals nearly as fast as food

Refrigeration or even freezing should at least slow the process.

You could give smaller amounts to last a day or two, and store the unused for later.

 

[Venari]

unless you have a miniature fridge in the roach tank, I don't know how that could be a viable option. I think more frequent, smaller meals would be a better option.

 

[Thegloryfades]

true but in a hot humid roach enclosure that wouldnt last long

 

[Venari]

true but in a hot humid roach enclosure that wouldnt last long

which is the reasoning behind more frequent, smaller meals.

EDIT: unless you were referring to the post above mine.

 

[Thegloryfades]

Was referring to bqc123's post about refrigeration/freezing the crystals

 

[BQC123]

Sorry, I should have been clearer.
I would feed small amounts lasting 1 or 2 days. The rest could be chilled to keep longer.
I edited the post to correct that.

 

[EShell]

Beginnersguides87 has a YouTube video of this experiment.

Thank you, I'll have to try to find that, no need to reinvent the wheel...

I would think that keeping the orange juice saturated crystals will draw (and possibly breed) fruit flies at some point.

I keep two bins of B.Dubia and I know that if I try to keep too many fresh orange wedges in them, I'll get fruit flies. I found this out after having out of town assignments for several days at a time, and trying to stock them up enough to have oranges while I'm gone. The roaches eat almost all of it, but if there's any left at all...somehow... I really suspect that there are viable eggs on most store-bought fruit, especially apples, and if the flies have enough time, they'll give you a new generation or two. I assume the constant 90-95oF preferred by Dubia accelerates native fruit fly reproduction too.

I am now very careful to put exactly the right quantity of orange in each bin to avoid having it long enough to incubate fruit fly larvae. I like to see everything eaten overnight, and I remove everything daily. I never see fruit flies otherwise, they're not at large in the house, but if I want them all I have to do is put too much fruit in the roach bins and let it sit.